'Olmert and Syrian President Assad Should Learn From Menachem Begin & Egypt's President Anwar Sadat'

'A Dramatic Event Similar To Sadat's Historic Visit To Jerusalem Could Also Alter Public Opinion Today'

Has the U.S. jeopardized Israeli intelligence interests by publication of secret Israeli photos proving that the Syrian target destroyed by Israeli aircraft on September 6th was a nuclear reactor being built by North Korea? Dan Patir, an advisor to Prime Ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzak Rabin, told IsraCast that Washington apparently ignored the Israeli-Syrian situation and preferred to take North Korea to task. In an in-depth interview, Patir assesses prospects for Prime Minister Olmert and Syrian President Assad to follow in the footsteps of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat in forging a peace treaty.

Palestinian officials say seven Palestinians including a mother and her four young children were killed in an Israeli strike on Biet Hanoun in the Gaza Strip today. An Israeli shell reportedly hit their one storey building during IDF counterterror activity in the area. Two Palestinian terrorists were killed. Before the Israeli shell, Palestinians launched two more Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot. Later the Palestinians fired six more Qassams at Israeli targets. There were no casualties but one home was seriously damaged. Hamas claimed responsibility for the rocketing.

Ambassador Zalman Shoval: 'Middle East Perceptions Of Next U.S. President Will Have Cogent Influence On Israel's Fate'

Former American diplomat Aaron David Miller has stirred up a new controversy over who is to blame in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Miller in his book 'The Much Too Promised Land' charged the U.S. was biased toward Israel and even acting as 'Israel's lawyer'. In an interview with IsraCast, a former Israeli ambassador to Washington, Zalman Shoval rejects the contention saying it distorts the true reality and warns that although Miller probably blames the Arabs more than Israel his book will give fuel to Israel's adversaries.

Prime Minister Olmert: 'Iran Will Not Have a Nuclear Capability'

President Peres: 'Paralysis Of International Community In Acting Against Iran Reminds Me Of Failure To Act Against Nazism Before Holocaust'

Opposition Leader Netanyahu Has Failed To Persuade Olmert's Coalition Partners That Time Is Ripe To Dump The Prime Minister

On this Passover holiday, Israelis may be relaxing to celebrate the Exodus of their forefathers from bondage in Egypt to freedom in their ancient homeland. But not so the Israeli security forces which are poised to cope with a number of clear and present dangers both at home and abroad. Against this backdrop, IsraCast assesses comments by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on some of the key threats facing the Jewish state at this juncture.

'Hamas Trying To Manipulate International Sympathy While ContinuingTo Rocket Israel'

'Hard To Visualize Implementation Of Any Olmert-Abbas Agreement Because Abbas Represents Only One Part Of Palestinian People'

What was the goal of the recent Palestinian terror attack on the Nahal Oz fuel depot where Israeli civilians were supplying fuel to the Gaza Strip? Rony Shaked of the Yediot Ahronot newspaper says it's part and parcel of the Hamas strategy to force Israel to react so the Palestinians can play the role of victim as they continue to rocket Sderot. Analyst Shaked also told IsraCast that the meeting of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter with Hamas leader Haled Mashal lends legitimacy to a terror organization that tries to destroy Israel.

Israeli Security Source: 'Palestinian Terrorists Exploit Every Weak Link To Attack Israelis Even If It Harms Their Own People'

'Danger That Terrorists On West Bank Will Also try To Exploit Israel's Lifting Of Fifty Checkpoints'

Question - Was Karni Fuel Depot Not Adequately Protected On False Assumption That terrorists Would Not Attack Fuel Supply To Gaza Strip?

Israel has temporarily closed the Karni fuel depot to the Gaza Strip after Palestinian terrorists killed two Israeli tanker truck drivers who were supplying fuel to the Palestinians. The four attackers were killed while trying to flee back to Gaza. A former Israeli security official has told IsraCast that the terrorists will exploit every weak point they can and warns that lifting 50 West Bank checkpoints may backfire for Israel.

Senior IDF Intelligence Officer: 'Hezbollah Rebuilding Its Strength In South Lebanon's Towns & Villages That Are Off-Limits To U.N. Forces'

'We Do Not Rule Out Hezbollah Attack Along Lebanese Border Possibly Under Cover Of Different Signature'

Along the northern border, Israel is on high alert to face two threats. Syria has been building up its military power, buying new weapons and training more than in the past. Israel has sent calming messages to Damascus and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has declared that Israel's big civil defense exercise does not pose a threat to anyone. However, IsraCast reports that it's a different story with Hezbollah which has vowed to launch a bloody attack on the Jewish state.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah plans to convene an interfaith conference that will include Muslims, Christians and Jews. This would be the first time that Jews have been invited to participate in religious dialogue in Saudi Arabia.

Prof. Asa Kasher: 'IDF's targeted killings of Palestinian terrorists is a complex process designed to minimize harming of Palestinian civilians'

For the first time, an authoritative Israeli source has revealed how the Israeli defense forces conduct the targeted killing of Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip who deliberately rocket Israeli towns and villages. Prof. Asa Kasher has told IsraCast that Israeli security and political echelons carry out a complex process to limit Palestinian collateral damage in tracking down terrorists. Prof. Kasher, who formulated the IDF code of ethics, was speaking during a seminar at the Jerusalem center for ethics at Mishkenot Shaananim.

Heads of the Jewish community in Morocco have initiated a move calling for Muhammad V of Marocco, who was king during World War II, to be the first Arab admitted to Yad Vashem's Righteous Among the Nations for his efforts of saving the Jews of his country.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel: 'Iran Must Prove It Is Not Developing Nuclear Weapons - If Not We Support Stiffer Sanctions'

'Qassam Rocket Attacks On Israel Are a Crime & Must Stop'

Auschwitz Survivor Noah Flug: 'I Never Dreamed I Would See A German Chancellor Pledging To Be Ally Of Jewish State'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged her country's aid and friendship to Israel. Merkel wound up an eventful three day visit by addressing the Knesset and calling for stiffer sanctions to stop Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Although several Knesset members boycotted Merkel's Knesset speech, the German leader was welcomed warmly by both government and opposition leaders.

Irwin Cotler: 'There is no moral or legal basis for the demand that Palestinian refugees be allow to return to the state of Israel'.

'Arab League's decision to reject Partition Plan of 1947 and declare war on the nascent Jewish state was responsible for both Jewish and Palestinian refugees'

Irwin Cotler, a Canadian MP and former justice minister in Canada, has said there is no legal or moral basis for the Palestinian demand that the Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to Israel. In an interview with IsraCast, Prof. Cotler contended that the Arab League rejection of the 1947 Partition Plan and its war against the new born state of Israel was responsible not only for the estimated 550,000 Palestinian refugees, but also for the some one-million Jewish refugees who were driven out of Arab countries after their property and assets were sequestered.

Israeli security forces have gone on heightened alert after a lone Palestinian terrorist shot dead eight students at a yeshiva religious seminary in Jerusalem. Eight other students were wounded, three of them seriously. IsraCast quotes Israeli intelligence sources as saying: 'The main concern now is that of a copy-cat effect - that other terrorists will emulate the terror attack'.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: 'Israel will make war on Hamas but peace with President Mahmoud Abbas'

'I gave express orders to IDF soldiers not to endanger Palestinian civilians in the fighting'

The IDF operation into the northern Gaza Strip that began on Friday night is over. Israeli troops and tanks withdrew from Gaza after their search and destroy mission to hit Palestinian terrorists who continually rocket Israeli towns and villages. However, IsraCast learns that Israel will now conduct an ongoing campaign using various tactics to suppress the rocket attacks.

'Israel Should Not Agree To Ceasefire Without Breaking Terrorist Capability To Attack In Future'

After the Palestinians continued their rocket barrage of Israeli towns, IDF troops, tanks and helicopter gunships were sent into action in the northern Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said their mission was to drive the terrorists out of range from Israeli population centers without reoccupying the Gaza Strip. Rather than halting the rocket attacks, the elected Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh vowed to continue attacking Israel declaring: 'We love death more than the Israelis love life!' In an interview with IsraeCast, Dr. Dan Schueftan, an Israeli Middle East expert at Haifa University, said the current Israeli operation must break the Palestinian will and capability to rocket Israeli civilians.

Joseph Trumpeldor was an early Zionist activist, notable for helping organize the Zion Mule Corps and bringing Jewish immigrants to Palestine. Trumpeldor was fatally wounded while defending the settlement Tel-Hai against Arab attacks and was killed together with seven other defenders.

Tel Hai ("Hill of Life" in Hebrew) is the modern name of a settlement in northern Israel, the site of an early battle in the Arab-Israeli conflict, where eight Jewish guards died when hundreds of Arabs attacked the settlement.